Growling Puppy

[Bridget Bodine]

Doesn't anybody pinch the puppy?
I have sat and watched MANY a litter for hours and the puppy that is being bit doestn't just say "owee" and the other pup let's go, the pup that is being bit , BITES back!
There is a consequence for this behavior in my house. I am like a snake, a very quick pinch, even if the pup vocalizes when I do it.
For what it is worth I don't use an alpha roll. I am not a believer in them .

[Hunt'EmUp]

Puppy's testing you, or just learning where she stands in the house-hold. When she gets all growly, and your annoyed with it. I'd pick her up put her in my lap and hold her there until she calms & stops growling, You better bet on a pretty good fight the first couple times you do this, it will not be her idea to be in your lap, if it's not her idea, she's going to scream and squirm probably nip at you, but eventually she'll tire of the tantrum, clam down and then you can put her back on the floor. She'll start to learn the Faster she calms down the faster she can go back to what she want to do. For a puppy that bites I do one of two things, tell them no and two finger bop them on the nose (usually makes them sneeze, a couple of those and they think better of it,) or I let them chew on my fingers when it gets too hard put I'll the pups lips under her teeth, and squeeze, puppy yips and learns to bite softer.

[Scum Frog]

I'll the pups lips under her teeth, and squeeze, puppy yips and learns to bite softer.

This is what we had to do with my pup.....at 15 weeks she still needs a reminder once in a while

[westksbowhunter]

Growling not really improving. I did some retrieving with her today and she growl and bites at the paint roller when I roll it out of her mouth. She has times where she growls and bites if you are petting her and aggressively growls when she attacks pant legs. I don't really see it as a playing growl. I have had a lot of puppies over the years and some would bite alot and some did not. The easily understood no and would quit when given the command. Biting I can deal with but the growling is a different story and has me concerned. My family won't tolerate it.

[Rainmaker]

I'm really not sure how anyone can be so upset by growling in an 8 week old. It just isn't that big of a deal, given some time and patience, but if it is to you and your family are so put out by it, I would suggest contacting her breeder and seeing about getting pup back to them. Or finding someone else who is willing to take the pup for a bit and work on it.

[frontier]

Growling not really improving. I did some retrieving with her today and she growl and bites at the paint roller when I roll it out of her mouth. She has times where she growls and bites if you are petting her and aggressively growls when she attacks pant legs. I don't really see it as a playing growl. I have had a lot of puppies over the years and some would bite alot and some did not. The easily understood no and would quit when given the command. Biting I can deal with but the growling is a different story and has me concerned. My family won't tolerate it.

I agree with Kim and the others.. Some breeders handle individual pups a lot and socialize and work on bite inhibition with their pups before they leave while many others think that tossing a pigeon is the only thing that needs to be done to evaluate a pup... It's a puppy!!! Patience is key!

[flena]

Same problem, when my Blackie plays like crazy, there's hardly anything that could hold him. I try to wear him out by trying to let him jump and bite the ropeball a few times. When I do not give him the toy he growls, and just let him have it for a few seconds, and try to play that over again.